Is it legal to play for money in Mainland China?

No. Organizing or participating in cash poker is a criminal offense under Article 303 . Players must use licensed “Mind Sports” clubs where entry is through membership fees and prizes are non-monetary.

Can foreigners play in Chinese Sports Poker clubs?

Yes. Foreigners can play in legal clubs (like those in Beijing or Sanya) but must provide a Passport for registration. Note that payouts are in points or “tickets,” not cash.

Why are Macau poker rooms moving to Cotai?

Space on the Macau Peninsula is limited. The massive integrated resorts in Cotai have the floor space to accommodate poker tables, which earn less revenue per square foot than games like Baccarat. Consequently, rooms like Wynn Macau and Grand Lisboa Palace have closed in favor of Cotai properties.

Can I play online poker in China?

No, online poker for real money is prohibited in China. Many players access online poker through offshore platforms, but this is technically illegal and subject to government crackdowns.

How is poker revenue performing in Macau despite room closures?

Paradoxically, while the number of rooms is shrinking, poker revenue hit a record MOP 975 million (~$121M) in 2025 , a 10% year-over-year increase. This suggests that demand is higher than ever, but players are consolidating into fewer, larger venues.

Emerging Poker Scene in China: Laws, Events, and Venues

Derick ElominaAuthor

Reviewed by Kai Cocklin

Updated: 2026.02.20

China presents a multifaceted landscape for poker, defined by a strict legal firewall in the mainland and a shifting, high-stakes epicenter in Macau . As of 2026, the environment has moved toward a “quality over quantity” model, where casual play is driven into digital “Mind Sport” clubs, and elite professional action is concentrated in the Cotai Strip and the tropical hub of Sanya.

Mainland China: The Legal “Mind Sport” Reality

The Legal Divide: Under Article 303 of the Criminal Law, traditional gambling is strictly prohibited. However, poker exists legally in “Sports Poker” clubs where no cash prizes are awarded. Instead, players compete for “tickets” to major domestic championships or points redeemable for travel and goods.
Sanya: The Poker Capital: Sanya, Hainan, remains the “Las Vegas of China” for tournament players. It is the permanent home of the China Poker Games (CPG) . In April 2026, Sanya also hosted the 6th Asian Beach Games, further cementing its status as a destination for international sports tourism.
Digital Shift: Following the 2018 ban on poker apps, the scene has fragmented into invite-only private clubs and blockchain-powered platforms like CoinPoker , which have become resilient workarounds for mainland enthusiasts.

🏛️
MAINLAND HUB
Sanya, Hainan

🏙️
SAR HUB
Cotai, Macau

🛡️
STATUS
Restricted / Regulated

Macau: The Shifting Peninsula vs. Cotai

The Macau poker landscape has undergone a seismic shift in early 2026. The historic rooms on the Macau Peninsula are fading, while the massive resorts in Cotai have become the primary destination:

Wynn Macau “Dark” : In late January 2026, the iconic poker room at Wynn Macau (Peninsula) ceased operations, following a trend of peninsula casinos prioritizing high-turnover games like Baccarat.

The Venetian Macao : Currently the main hub for poker in the city, offering the most tables and consistent 24/7 cash game action.

MGM Cotai : Remains the premier choice for mid-to-high stakes players.

Macau Poker Open (MPT) 2026: Tournament poker made a grand return to the SAR from March 20–29, 2026, marking a new era of stability for organized events under the consolidated 29 licensed operators.

2026 Key Dates & Events

MPT Macau Poker Open (March 20–29, 2026): The first major international-style festival in Macau since the regulatory overhaul, hosted in the Cotai district.

CPG Sanya Finals (August 2026): The “Main Event” of the Chinese domestic calendar, drawing thousands of qualifiers via legal sports poker apps.

Asian Poker Tour (APT) Regional Influence: While APT focuses on Taipei (April 2026) and Jeju (September 2026), these stops see a massive influx of mainland Chinese pros, as they provide the closest high-stakes international tournament outlets.

Online Poker in China

Online Poker Legislation in China

Online gambling is also illegal in China, making online poker games essentially dead in the country. There are no Chinese owned or operated poker sites.

Despite this, players have found ways and means to play online. And online operators are becoming more innovative in their offerings by not having “real money” transactions but instead use alternatives that can be converted to cash.

In early 2018, it was rumored that China was considering allowing online gaming, a lottery or sports betting on Hainan Island.

But in June 2018, to the general surprise, a major crackdown – known as Chinese Black Friday -, occurred in China. The government banned all online poker applications, removing them from App Stores, and going as far as forbidding the promotion of Poker on any Social Media. This is a major issue for the Live Event Promoters too, considering that for their Sanya Event, the World Series of Poker (WSOP) had the players qualified through the Tencent Poker app, with satellites running for months leading up to the event.

The Chinese have been well accustomed to getting around censorship, and the use of virtual private networks (VPN) to access the internet is very popular in general because of the Greatwall firewall.

Best Online Poker Sites in China

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Live Poker in China

Live Poker Legislation in China

Gambling in China is absolutely illegal.

According to Article 303: “Whoever, for the purpose of profit, gathers people to engage in gambling, runs a gambling house or makes gambling his profession shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years, criminal detention or public surveillance and shall also be fined.”

This has been reinforced by President Xi Jinping in 2014 when he declared war on gambling which has affected the whole of the mainland as well as its SARs like Macau & Hong Kong.

However, as gambling is in the culture of the Chinese, locals have found means and ways to be able to gamble without having to violate the law. This especially holds true for the game of poker.

Despite being illegal, this has also not prevented the organization of big live poker tournaments in China. The mainland’s first high-stakes NHLE poker tournament was held in December 2012 at the MGM Grand, Sanya located in Hainan province. In 2014, the Asia Pacific Poker Tour made Beijing one of its stops at the Star Poker club for a 10-day long festival, reinforcing the idea that China could carry the hopes of seeing another poker boom, with a population strong of 1.4 billion souls. In December, 2017, it was WSOP’s turn to organize their very first event in Sanya, Hainan at the Shangri-La Resort & Spa.

Live Poker Venues in China

Foreigners and Chinese are allowed to enter legal poker clubs which are few in China.

Because of the government’s strict rules on gambling, numerous unauthorized games do happen but farther away from the metropolis and far from the eagle eyes of the police. It is said that the more luscious games have moved to Changsa in the Hunan province. The games there are said to be so profitable that it has been named “Little Macau.” But the risks of getting caught in an illegal game are high in China with the penalty of grave fines and imprisonment.

The Beijing Poker Club (BPC) , which was established in 2012, is the longest running and the only legal poker room in Mainland China.